Anchor Bar in Derry

My friends and I were walking around the wall and I needed to use the lavatory. I saw the Anchor Bar so one of my friends and I stopped in. While she used the facilities, I ordered us 2 half pints. The lady tending bar was super friendly as were the folks sitting at the bar. We ended up sitting down and talking to some folks at the next table. We then texted our friends to come join us. We ended up staying for 2 or 3 rounds. The bartender came over and took a few photos for us. We had a great time there. The vibe of the place was just so laid back and friendly. We all loved it. We didn't eat so I don't even know if they offer food.

Had the pleasure of going to this pub and getting the best welcome ever! They are such a lovely bunch... Bar staff and costumers. Would highly recommend to visit

My friend Coleraine Kenny introduced me to this diamond..... actually situated not far from the diamond. It's an honest no frills establishment clean and with friendly staff and clientele. It has had a facelift recently and whilst it has created more room the friendly craic with the clientele and with the bar staff keeps going..if your looking for sympathy ur in the wrong place while the bubbly personality which is Sinead and the quieter but no less personable Joanne serve the drinks. I'm always sorry when it's time to leave but leave I must....until the next time....and so it will continue..

Place to be ,, lovely staff an looked after us so well , thank you Gemma , Johnny an Sinead , we will be back , ,, Dave an Angela from magherafelt ..

Walked into this pub on a recent cold, rainy, windy late afternoon and found the bar counter filled with friendly, outgoing locals who were very welcoming. Sinead was bartending and she was very accommodating as well as being very engaged with her guests. For true "local flavor" in an active pub, in a great location, and a great pint I recommend the Anchor Bar!

Nice little pub and great location .Friendly owner and patrons. By the city walls. 2 floors to the pub and there was live music on the Saturday night .

Danny was very friendly and helpful. a small pub with an authentic local atmosphere. we went there on the afternoon end.

A date with Hubbie, was beautiful food. The most wonderful flavours and extremely filling, we had the fish Friday menu, and the free house wine was good.<br />Only problem the restaurant didn’t have my booking even though booked o open table 4 weeks or more ago. Thankfully could squeeze us in as was really looking forward to our evening.

On Entering this 2 story Pub, You are drawn to the very nautical theme that pubs offers, as well as a Local welcoming and what you see is what you get attitude within this pub. A true old school bar. You may Happily not, only have the one!

Last Friday of the month is fish Friday and every time is different. Nothing is what you expect. The only let down this time was the lobster thermidor had too much mash potato and not enough lobster but saying that it was still delicious. The waitress as normal was knowledgeable especially about the menu, helpful and nothing was too much trouble. We absolutely love this place and that&#039;s why it is our special monthly treat.

We celebrated my husband&#039;s birthday at the Anchor at lunchtime so that we could go for a walk along the river after. Lovely meal and had a table with river view.What more could you want on a sunny day?<br />Imaginative food ,although we could not manage more than two courses even though the sticky toffee pudding on the dessert menu sounded good.<br />Well done to the Chef..

Fantastic meal but a noisy environment which was distracting

Amazing food as always x will keep going back for more x

The staff were very attentive, food was cooked perfectly along with a wide choice of wine I look forward to going back soon.

Excellent but main came out too quick after starters. First cocktail we had was lovely with fruit. Same cocktail had one slice of lemon, and third cocktail no fruit at all.

We had an excellent lunch at the Anchor: great views, imaginative &amp; tasty food with thoughtful and friendly service. As a bonus, the lunch menu was also excellent value for money.

I would not recommend this restaurant, it is a very nice location the food was quite nice but we had the set meal with a glass of wine free which was frankly undrinkable.

Excellent food and service will definitely be booking again

Very lovely and comfortable, see great food delicious

Food and service was above and beyond. Love coming here, best resturant in Essex by far. Chef Dan Watkins and his team are phenomenal.

Lovely food, restaurant area was pretty loud, but only cos there was a big birthday party in, otherwise lovely evening.

Lovely place, food was amazing, staff was friendly and efficient, would definitely recommend, we will be returning very soon!

We wanted to go somewhere a bit scenic for lunch and I saw The Anchor and thought to give it a try. The indoor dining area in the conservatory was a nice space, light and airy. The starter I had of goats cheese &amp; beetroot was tasty and substantial but lacked something, some homemade crackers or bread for such a big hunk of cheese. Plentiful pot of olives. My main of monk fish and sweet potato/lentils was tasty albeit the fish was over cooked. My husband had haddock and chips and they were very good, very fresh fish well cooked and tasty homemade chips. Our shared pudding of sticky toffee pudding was lovely as it was not too sweet and certainly big enough for two. Overall, not bad food just not amazing. Our young server was excellent, attentive without being pushy. Bar staff could do with some training and I always think you should be offered the best table possible, not just sat in the corner to balance the room.

Fantastic meal, can&#039;t fault anything everything was 1st class food, wine and service.

First time we have been to this restaurant and we were really impressed. Food was incredible and the staff were very friendly. Our waitress bought us champagne on the house for our Anniversary. Made it so much more special :-)

Good service and excellent food. Attentive staff and great ambience get a spot out the back with river views for a great experience.

Lovely pub food was great too and then we sat in the garden with the view of the river will definitely return sooner rather than later

The setting for the Anchor&#039;s dining experience is lovely...alongside the wonderful River Crouch, with an airy rear north-facing extra dining room offering great views of the river and beyond. That, and its reputation for terrific food, was what attracted us to this restaurant.<br /><br />l would have awarded five stars, had we been given a table with a river view, which is what l&#039;d hoped for. Instead, we were disappointed to be seated down in the main body of the restaurant, near the kitchen, with not a window in sight. <br /><br />The rather surly young woman on the desk informed me l ought to have requested a window table when l booked - but l booked online and there was no facility in the booking form to specify a table! &quot;Well, you should have phoned, then,&quot; was her unhelpful comment.<br />It was a shame that this marred an otherwise delightful experience on a special night out to celebrate my partner&#039;s birthday.<br /><br />The food and the service (with the above exception), however, were absolutely superb - quite impossible to fault. The menu was extensive and varied, not to mention extremely imaginative, and the servers incredibly helpful in making sure my partner&#039;s choices did not compromise her gluten and dairy intolerances. Our meals were cooked to perfection and even the house red was a cut above what you often get, even in expensive restaurants.<br /><br />It was worth every penny of what - by my standards anyway - was a pretty hefty bill, by the time wine and an appropriate tip were factored in. Sometimes you get what you pay for and sometimes you are more than happy to pay a bit more for it.<br /><br />One of the best meals we&#039;ve had in ages.<br /><br />As a footnote, however I would return to our initial disappointment at the way we were greeted and treated. Clearly, the Anchor needs to revise and clarify its online booking system, ...and above all, instruct its staff to carefully consider the way they speak to customers when they are as disappointed as we very clearly were. First impressions are SO important!

Delicious fish dishes. The tempura monkfish with indian spices was superb. Scallop starter with terrine was a generous portion and well balanced flavours. Also a lovely spot down by the river. Prices very reasonable for the extremely high quality food.

<strong></strong><strong></strong><strong> One word - Fishtastic </strong><strong></strong><strong></strong><strong></strong><strong></strong>***

A very enjoyable evening. I hadn&#039;t been here for a while and glad I re found my liking for this river side gem. <br />The menu is modern and interesting with something for everyone, served piping hot and very tasty. <br />The staff are smart and attentive without being annoying.<br />Gets right what a lot of pretenders don&#039;t, well done!

Fantastic vegan menu. Highly recommend a visit and the view of the river is wonderful too

Unique location, good food and good service. Worth 45 min travel to come again soon.

Booked as a last minute birthday treat, staff were friendly and knowledgeable. Main menu was a little pricy but the wine &amp; dine menu was excellent value. The food was fresh and tasty with plenty of meat within the dishes. The only downside as a slightly fussy eater (do not like fish or if I can help it red meat) although there were vegetarian options, there was no white meat dish. As a surprise a plate of petit fours with happy birthday and a candle were brought out to the birthday guest. A very nice touch. Will definitely be returning.

Visiting Derry for a weekend, decided to drop in at the Anchor, glad we did !! Nice atmosphere, friendly and a great pint. Please make a visit , you'll enjoy it .

Excellent food with excellent service and a wonderful atmosphere

Seafood Friday menu was great Value, staff very attentive and food was delicious. Will definitely return!

Excellent food, value and service as always. Mid week 3 course menu plus glass of wine at 19.95 per head never disappoints 😀

Excellent Sunday lunch. Service a bit slow to begin with. We were fortunate to have a window seat.

The Saturday evening menu was a bit pricey &amp; not extensive but thus easier to make a selection. The bread selection side was nothing special but the main course was exceptional and very well presented. The sticky toffee pudding was as good as, if not better, than I&#039;ve tasted.<br />I was particularly impressed with the smart dress code of the staff who were attentive and polite. I would definitely consider another Saturday evening meal at the Anchor in due course but not before I&#039;ve saved up a few more pennies! The decor was clean, modern and stylish but most importantly, the toilets were spotlessly clean - a big plus!

Overall very nice evening, but didn&#039;t like the menu on Saturday, can&#039;t think there would be many customers who would eat ox cheek , would make sure next time we looked at the menu before going.

Beautiful venue, amazing food, delightful staff with an extremely good value set menu

Just love eating at this restaurant - they have a really good value special menu plus an al a carte menu - something for everyone.<br />Would definitely recommend this restaurant to family &amp; friends.

Excellent food and service<br />Staff very polite<br />Would not hesitate to go again

We were a party of four and three of us were disappointed with the starter; one was not good value for money and two had an ingredient that was undercooked. There was a significant delay between the group receiving the starter (and final coffee and teas) which suggests poor organisation. Mains were very good. Last but not least when we called for the bill we were given another table&#039;s bill that had already been paid! So, reasonable food spoilt by haphazard service.

As usual food of a very high standard and great service

Had a lovely lunch with friends, great food ambience and service. The Anchor is one of my favourite places to eat, highly recommend 😊

A very pleasant lunch at The Anchor. Simple food full of flavour and beautifully presented.

Working for the emergency services my Christmas Day rarely falls on 25th December so, as for the last 3 years I chose The Anchor for Christmas dinner for my daughter and I. Okay, we had missed the Christmas menu, but, the restaurant, the staff and the food are so welcoming it really didn&#039;t matter there was no turkey on the menu. <br />The three courses we had were spot on, explosions of taste, prepared and cooked perfectly. <br />And the most paletteable thing of all the bill. Food of the highest quality at the most reasonable price. <br />As for 2017, I&#039;m planned on a Rest Day at work so I may even get to taste your Christmas Roast.

We had roast lamb on Sunday evening and the food was excellent as always. Couldn&#039;t ask for more

Had a lovely time here with the family. Food was lovely and the service amazing!

Since opening, the standards started very high and have continued to be maintained to a high level. My congratulations to the team. Service is impeccable. I have already, and will continue to recommend to others that enjoy a selection of excellent menus.

Another good meal at The Anchor, this time on a Friday evening with live music. Food choice, presentation and service were good as always. The atmosphere is great and the background buzz from everyone talking adds to this. Well worth a visit either in the evening or for a lunch time meal.

Excellent food as always. Very busy at lunch time in run up to Christmas<br />Great atmosphere

great food .OTT presentation making main course difficult to eat.Service was not 100% continually having to call servers to complete orders. (very polite and apologetic however) but generally good value and good surroundings

My partner and I have eaten at many restaurants and the food was outstanding.

Food was fantastic and waiter/waitress service was very good. Unfortunately our coffee&#039;s were a while arriving. Other than that it was a lovely evening.

Absolutely superb in every aspect. It was my 70th birthday (not declared until leaving) last Monday and my wife treated me to a superb late lunch. So this venue receives my highest recommendation. Thank you to all concerned for helping to make my special milestone special.

My friends were new to The Anchor and were very impressed. Will come again from Little Dunmow

The food and service, as usual, was very good. One of our party needs a gluten free diet and that has never been a problem at the Anchor.

We ate at 7pm on a Sunday . We found the ambiance very noisy - hard to hear person across the table. Not helped by a large group behind us. Also a child kept screaming in the next room ! When the group behind left it was better but by then we were one of the few diners left. It would have been much better to have spread out the diners - there was loads of room. Why seat us there? When we left at around 9.30 we seemed to be the last ones there so otherwise extremely quite -we felt that the staff were waiting for us to leave . Does the restaurant shut early on Sunday? If so we were not aware of this The scallops starter was odd in that a largish lump of pork was part of what was otherwise a pleasantly light dish. Not a huge range of meals - either roasts or fish.

We were put off from the very beginning when the waitress licked her finger no less than four times in order to pick up the paper menus and then handed them to us. If the waiting staff have not been given lessons in basic hygiene the mind boggles at what must go on in the kitchens. We won&#039;t be going back. Totally gross.

enjoyed lunch service was good the food is all ways good and will be back

modern and clean decor. Staff very efficient and friendly. This was a special occasion and the meal did not let us down. My chicken liver pate was delicious. The people who had the steak for mains , remarked it just melted in the mouth. We will defiently be going back , and hopefully return in the summer to see the view of the river.

Good food and service with a smile. Nice location over looking the river.

Great food, lovely staff. Never been disappointed.

We really enjoyed the meal, the service was very good and we thought the atmosphere was really nice.

Enjoyable food and friendly service, with lovely views over the river.

Too many large and very loud tables which ruined what was supposed to be a quiet Sunday lunch. Please think about controlling your guests.

This was our third visit and it didn&#039;t disappoint. It&#039;s easy for me to take my disabled mother there who is in a wheelchair as parking is outside the front door and there&#039;s easy access to the restaurant. Food was delicious. The soup and the coronation crab for starters couldn&#039;t be faulted. Then for main two of our party had the scampi and chips which was delicious (fab chips), another person had the sausage and mash which he said was fantastic, and, although I am not a vegetarian I fancied the roasted cauliflower with sweet potato Dahl and it didn&#039;t disappoint. Wonderful flavours and beautifully presented. After all that we couldn&#039;t manage a dessert although they all sounded fantastic! Service was delightful and the ambience fabulous. We hope to go back and try the seafood Friday in the New Year!

Our visit was the second time we had been there and I was extremely pleased that it was as good as the first time. Staff were very polite, professional and attentive without being overbearing. I had cheekily requested a specific table and it was provided without question and seemed to be that all that was important was our enjoyment of the whole experience. Delicious food presented beautifully. I would have no hesitation in recommending this venue to business contacts as well as personal friends.

Lovely lunch from the set menu. Great views of the river. My favourite place.

We thoroughly enjoyed our food although we had a long wait for our starter (just over an hour) I made the waitress aware and there had been a mistake where the chef had thought we&#039;d been served our starters so our order was stamped/spiked.<br />The new manager at the Anchor was ever so apologetic and he offered to take our starters off the bill and gave my husband his next glass of wine for free too as he&#039;d drunk his first glass with still no starter.<br />Myself and my husband were very impressed that this discount/kind gesture was offered and when the food came out it was really really nice!<br />We would still go back to this restaurant as the staff were lovely but just needed to be a little bit more on the ball though it was very busy on that sunday with a table of 11 right next to us so we understood they was rushed off their feet.<br />Still a lovely place to go for sunday lunch, the food was impeccable!

Another good Sunday lunch at the Anchor. The restaurant is always busy which is a good sign.

Have been here on several occasions and the food has always been good. My only criticism would be that on the last occasion the restaurant was not busy but those that were there were squashed up together. We sat on a table for two only inches away from the next table so difficult to have a private conversation. Could have spread us out a bit more as there were many empty tables.

it was our 10th wedding anniversary and going to the anchor made it very special as it was lovely.

Good set menu , good quality and large portions, good value

My girlfriend and I went for the wine and dine menu on tuesday lunch. It was fantastic. the flavours of the lamb neck, poached hake and strawberry and watermelon dessert were outstanding. we loved it so much that we stayed in the garden all afternoon with our 2 young children, then stayed for dinner choosing from the garden menu which is classic pub fair, again really good. <br />in my opinion and experience the anchor is the best value for money meal we have ever had. <br /><br />Thankyou

Generous portions and quality maintained. Good draft beers. Nice views by river Crouch. Staff responsive to special requests.

Fabulous food great service. Made a special arrangement for birthday too.

Went for my daughters birthday, told them on booking it would be her birthday, she received a complimentary glass of champagne and after dessert some hand made chocolates on a &#039;happy birthday&#039; plate and the table location was fantastic. A great venue in the summer with long evenings and fab views over the river. The staff are great. Main courses, large portions...

We ended up with a group of children next to us so the ambience was a bit different to what we were looking for and so that&#039;s the only reason for the lower score. Rest of meal was really good, loved the food, especially the roast potatoes

We go to this resturant quite regularly , for lunch mainly . Lovely surroundings,views,pleasant atmosphere. <br />The Set Menu is a bit hit and miss. Sometimes there are good choices, other times we order from the Main Menu.<br />I think it would benefit to have some added dishes to the Main Menu - as when we took other members of our family they commented that there wasn&#039;t anything on it that took their fancy.and not enough choice.<br />The desserts are always a hit, especially the Sticky Toffee Pudding, one of the Best I have eaten.!

Food really good but very noisy surrounding could not hear each other talk such a shame 1st time visit

Had roast dinner. Waxy reheated potatoes. Overpriced. Disappointed

We ordered the roast dinner - potatoes were not good, felt like they had been left out for a while and lacked flavour. Other than that lovely food and great service

Lovely setting but food a bit disappointing and expensive very tough steak!

Had only good experiences. The set menu is always exciting and outstanding value for money for the quality of food you get. The main menu is also superb I use this when I don&#039;t think I can manage more than the one course. <br />Can&#039;t wait for my next excuse to come here. Love it, especially in the summer such a nice chilled atmosphere.

Everything about the Anchor is good.the setting whether you are sitting outside or in is good. Food was very good ,every part of the meal was good also the price. Couldn&#039;t fault the Anchor in anything.

My fourth visit to this restaurant and once again the food was lovely, beautiful flavours and well presented. Service is always good and staff helpful.<br /><br />My only criticism is once again I requested a table at the front of the restaurant, well in advance of the date and sadly didn&#039;t get it. Also there was live music at the venue, of which we were unaware and it was too loud, we were with friends and it was difficult to speak at times as we were seated directly under a loudspeaker.<br />Having said that it wouldn&#039;t put me off returning at a future date.

Visited for drinks and lunch on Tuesday last. Having previously posted a glowing review it&#039;s disappointing on this occasion to report what a difference an understaffed bar and restaurant made to this customer&#039;s experience. Whoever decides staff numbers should stop counting the cost of everything and value of nothing. Overworked staff means customers get irritated which means staff get irritated which in turn means nobody wants to drink/eat there - or - to work there. Please sort it out.

This was across the street from our hotel and worth stepping inside to see an authentically old pub. Not the oldest but nice to see. Try to grab one of the booths where you can enjoy a drink and relax.

Excellent hot food. Generous portions. Service was first class. <br /><br />Will definitely be going back soon.

We had a late lunch. When we arrived we had to wait sometime before we were acknowledged. In the end I had to ask for attention. <br /><br />The restaurant was busy with lots of children. Overall the food was good and was well cooked.

Excellent food good atmosphere celebrating my daughters birthday.

Lovely restaurant, food and service were great, and good value for money! <br />My only disappointment was that I had asked for a table with river views when I booked at least 2 weeks earlier, and we were at the back of the conservatory. I did ask again when we arrived and was told they were all booked out. At least 2 tables at the front were empty all lunchtime!! Just a minor moan!

Lovely couple of hours spent in the sun, excellent view

I went with friends for a birthday lunch. The food was good, but I believe, apart from a salad, there was one vegetarian choice on the menu. That said, they offered to adapt a meat dish to a veggie option, particularly, Mac and cheese. The setting is lovely with a good atmosphere and its very relaxing to linger in the gardens after dining. All the staff are extremely helpful and accommodating.

We had to wait quite a while for our starters and when they came some, especially the mackeral starter , portions were very small. Also the risotto in the main course was tiny. No bread offered at table like most other restaurants. However it is in a lovely setting and although the meal seemed expensive, we enjoyed it as a special get together.

Great food and service all for a reasonable price. Perfect for everyone from couples to families. I will be coming back again!